Fans are keen to be heard

"WE'RE Not Singing, We're Not Singing, We’re Not Singing Any More, Weee're Not Siiing-ing Any More" - one fan's twist on an old favourite after supporters at the Riverside Stadium were asked to keep shtum during games.

"WE'RE Not Singing, We're Not Singing, We’re Not Singing Any More, Weee're Not Siiing-ing Any More" - one fan's twist on an old favourite after supporters at the Riverside Stadium were asked to keep shtum during games.

But fans were refusing to keep the noise down today as they continued to vent their anger, despite a public apology by Boro bosses.

Those in the south-east corner of the ground at Saturday’s match against Wigan Athletic were handed letters telling them, “make as much noise as you like when we score, but this constant noise is driving fans mad”.

Seething spectators turned their back on the pitch in protest and some have even called for the club’s safety manager, Sue Watson, who penned the note, to resign.

And in the Evening Gazette’s online poll, 95% of voters thought the club was out of line to tell ticket-holders to sit down and shut up, with only 5% thinking it was understandable.

Rob Nichols, editor of the Boro fanzine Fly Me To The Moon (FMTTM) today said that many fans were “quite stunned” by the letter.

“Asking people politely not to make noise at a football ground is a bit astonishing really,” he said.

“Asking people to show consideration for those around is one thing - you don’t want someone standing up in front of you for the whole match if you can’t stand up - but it’s the last passage about making noise when there’s goals but refraining from it elsewhere.

“At times like this, we want people to make as much noise around the ground as possible.”

Issuing a full apology on its website, Middlesbrough FC said it understands how the clumsy wording of the letter “could easily have been misunderstood”.

A spokesman said: “Boro have apologised to supporters who have been annoyed by the wording of a club letter directed at a section of fans in block 53a in the Riverside Stadium’s South-east corner.

“The letter from the club’s safety officer Sue Watson was designed to tackle an issue that has arisen only since a large number of fans moved from the north stand to block 53a to create a loud atmosphere in another area of the stadium.

“However, the club had received a number of complaints from fans who have sat in 53a for some years that supporters new to the block were causing annoyance by constantly banging on the plastic sheeting at the back of the stand and blocking their view of the game by standing for long periods.

“Boro have held consultations with the new supporters, who called themselves the Red Faction, aimed at agreeing a compromise that would result in the best possible atmosphere for all fans.

“It was also decided that a letter would be handed out to Red Faction supporters encouraging their ‘noisy passionate support’ but asking them to refrain from constantly banging the plastic sheeting and reminded them that the ground’s safety certificate does not allow permanent standing.”

Some fans are now seeing the funny side and suggesting some inventive chants for tomorrow night’s FA Cup replay at the Riverside.

Ian Gill said on gazettelive’s Boro Banter: “How about a competition for some new chants? ‘Sit down if you love Boro, sit down if you love Boro....’ or ‘we’re not singing, we’re not singing, we’re not singing any more’ or ‘we can’t sing, we can’t sing, we can’t sing a song for you’ or ‘we’re supposed to be at home’.

“Any more ideas? Of course we could wait for us to score a goal!”

Veteran supporter Keith Watson said: “I’m into my 52nd season of watching the Boro. I’ve seen some rubbish in my time but at least in the old days there was always an atmosphere.

“Now matchdays mean going along for ninety-odd minutes of misery. It’s not enjoyable at all. The atmosphere in the ground is flat and it needs fans to make as much noise as possible. The place is full of pathetic whingers and the fact that some have complained about too much noise at a football match is beyond belief.

“The club should tell the whingers to go if they don’t like it. The place would be far better without them. Is the club trying to self destruct? Seems like it.”

And Peter Ainley said: “Sadly this just shows how far out of touch the club is with the fans, the very fans they are alienating are the ones who they will need next season when they are trying to get out of the Championship.

“I just feel this is yet another reason people won’t get season tickets next year. Well done Boro - another PR disaster.”

Page 3: A Boro fan's search for a bit of peace

A Boro fan's search for a bit of peace

IT'S official - the quietest place to be is down by the riverside.

That’s the result of an exhaustive Gazette survey - well, a morning driving around anyway - to try to find some of Teesside’s quietest places.

Bemused by Boro’s plea to ask some fans to quieten down, the editor wanted to see what Teesside can offer as a calmer alternative to the hurly burly of a noisy football ground.

As a Boro fan for longer than has been good for my health, but also someone who enjoys the quiet life, I was given the enviable task.

And I can exclusively reveal that it’s true - the riverside is, indeed, the best place to go to get away from it all.

Especially if you have a rod in your hands. But more of that later.

The search began at the seaside, where the smell of fish and chips is a far cry from the Riverside’s smoking burgers.

By common consent, the stadium’s atmosphere has been a bit lacking recently. “You’d get more noise in a graveyard,” someone once said to me.

So that’s where me and photographer Ian McIntyre went first - St Germain’s churchyard on the cliffs at Marske.

And, in quietness terms, it was a dead loss.

The combination of waves and seagulls was just too noisy, enough to put any shot-shy striker off their aim.

Quietness rating5/10

So we popped down the road to wander along bracing Redcar beach, heartened by a warming Boro mug of tea and a snug MFC scarf.

But no, that was even noisier. Seaside din, traffic on the seafront road and even a barking dog, damn its canine ways.

Quietness rating 4/10

Footy fans often jibe that some grounds they visit are as quiet as a library, so three guesses where I went next.

But Marske Library was a huge disappointment. Not only were lots of people using it, the very friendly staff - who don’t wear yellow jackets - won’t tell people to pipe down without good reason. Only a hearty rendition of “All the Geordies Went To Rome” seemed to do the trick.

Quietness rating 3/10

I’ve rarely met a quiet bird but even so, we then dropped in at the Kirkleatham Owl Centre where, like the doom-mongers predicting Boro’s relegation, the vultures were hovering. Dusky, the African Barn owl, was a hoot too, pun fans

Quietness rating 2/10

Meanwhile, as a cricket lover, there’s nothing like the sound of leather on willow. And on a dank February day at Yarm Cricket Club, there was nothing like the sound of leather on willow. In fact, there was the sound of nothing - this is more like it.

Quietness rating7/10

Being a nostalgic fool, there was just time to drop in at the place where the Boro bug bit me all those years ago.

Memories of Alan Foggon’s waistline and Heine Otto’s Dutch genius came flooding back as I rested near Ayresome Park’s old Holgate wall, anti-vandal paint smeared on brickwork impregnated with decades of urine.

But with people walking around and kids from the nearby school making a racket, it was still pretty loud.

Quietness rating 5/10

And then, we found it. THE quietest place on Teesside - and it was down by the riverside all the time.

But don’t just take my word for it, take the word of Arthur Dickons of Ormesby, who we found fishing on the banks of the Tees at Preston Park.

Gamefully letting me ruin his chances of catching anything as I grasped his rod, so to speak, Arthur, 70, said (Boro fans take note): “If you have any worries, come down here because it’s so peaceful and quiet.

“And when you catch something, it’s better than scoring a goal. Mind you, Boro don’t score many do they?”

Brilliant - tranquility and a Boro cynic to boot. So it’s 10 out of 10 for fishing by the Tees. But is it really where Boro fans need to be in the club’s moment of need?

With just six home league games left, it’s surely now up to everyone to roar on the lads to ensure we have Premier League football next season. And no, I’m not Bernie Slaven, all right?